I would need to know what was the ultimate fate of the Blades of Corusk? If I recall correctly, it is not specified at the end of 'Howl from the North'.
Where they the real blades of Corusk or did some of them come from Iuz?
I recently read Howl from the North, and I believe at the back it has a section on where the blades end up once Iuz does his thing - they get scattered about again, and end up in all kinds of extremely high-level sounding places. IIRC, this would suggest that they were in fact the real deal.
I recently read Howl from the North, and I believe at the back it has a section on where the blades end up once Iuz does his thing - they get scattered about again, and end up in all kinds of extremely high-level sounding places. IIRC, this would suggest that they were in fact the real deal.
If you could tell me the names of these locations, I would greatly appreciate it. I believe I have copy of 'Howl' but unfortunately it is about 1000 miles away
This opens up an interesting discussion. Did the blades of Corusk really portent the return of a northern barbarian god (who shows up in plate mail in the adventure's artwork!)? Or, were they a trick of Iuz? A rumor created and propogated by the Old One for the singular purpose of using the barbarians?
I would lean toward the latter because it is more sinister and disturbing to imagine Iuz having plotted to interfere with this peoples' destiny. I don't know if there is a basis in canon for this idea, but I like it. I would even go so far as to say that "the Great God of the North" doesn't even exist. And that legends of his imprisonment are falsehoods to placate the mortal mind and heart devoted to an otherwise empty deific theme. _________________ Don (Greyson)
Last edited by Greyson on Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:41 am; edited 1 time in total
Here is the relevant text from Howl From the North, p. 46:
Quote:
Harmonizer must always move to a location without inhabitants. This time the blade moves to the northernmost peninsula of the Hold of Stonefist. It polymorphs into a crystalline ice formation similar to a stalagmite to hide itself from the humans until called upon by the Great God of the North.
The Edge teleports to a lonely island off the Sunndi coast. When the characters finally anchor at the island, the sword is owned by a retired warrior (21st level) in the city of Sulward. The man may have retired, but he protects his possessions valiantly.
Greenswathe moves to the country of Ket. Molvar, in the northern section of Ket, is home to its new owner, Andre Kitomyr. A high priest of Iuz, this man knows some of the powers Greenswathe possesses. He does not plan to give up the sword while he still lives. He dedicated (blessed) the sword in the name of Iuz the Old.
Dreamsinger is now a holy symbol of the Tiger Nomads. The chieftain of this loosely banded group, after experiencing the dreams it invokes, demanded a new religion based upon the obviously divine visions it creates. If the characters steal the sword, the Tiger Nomads will call for a holy quest to destroy them. The Tigers are relentless and heartless in their crusade.
Stalker teleports south and west to the Sea of Dust. Hidden in the shrine of a long-forgotten goddess, Stalker ends its journey 200 miles south of the Forgotten City. The journey here is made perilous by huge sand worms that are attracted to vibrations in the ground. These creatures are only a minor enemy compared to nature itself. Hundreds of miles of arid, desolate land can kill the strongest of men. Those who find Stalker truly deserve its power.
Here is the relevant text from Howl From the North, p. 46:
Thanks.
Greyson: Well, Vatun exists (those spells have to come somewhere) and his imprisonment by Telchur is canon. Personally I would not want to count this as being yet another masterplan by 'Old Fart' and his unorganised CE empire that seems to crumble faster than old Soviet Union
I would rather see it as an effort to corrupt the ritual and make sure the blades are lost for a century or two and directing barbarian power away from himself instead of seeing an empire of barbarians springing and possibly threathening his own domain (i'm quite sure unified barbarians could crush Stonehold quite easily and then move down to Tehn and bandit lands).
So in my opinion the blades can free Vatun but last time the ritual was made to go wrong by Iuz.
So in my opinion the blades can free Vatun but last time the ritual was made to go wrong by Iuz.
And Iuz scattered them for a very good reason.
I can't remember where I read it, and I can't seem to find it right now, but I distinctly recall reading that the Blades, acting in concert, have the power to utterly annihilate anyone who has falsely claimed to be Vatun or his direct representative. Or something like that.
So the Blades now have the ability to destroy Iuz.
Edit: It was also in Howl From the North.
"United, they can also be used to destroy any who wrongly profess to be The Great God. If these five Blades of Corusk remain together, they have the capacity to destroy Iuz, sending him back to the plane of his origin. "
I assume they mean the layer of the Abyss where Zuggtmoy has Iuz's Soul Object stashed, since he's from the Prime.
Karasten Meldraith states of the five swords " They are very, very ancient, the five Blades of Corusk. Barbarian Magic,Barbarian weapons,great heroes of your people in the past. These things are all part of the history."
Therfore the Blades are much older than Iuz.
Ancient Suloise history predating Iuz's birth indicate to me that the 5 Blades are not a trick created by that foul creature of old filth.
I belive there lies a potential for the return of the "Great God of the North."
Some believe that a Son of Kord named Vatun of the North is this Being.
When the 5 Blakes are united the Five Shall Be One,either freeing Vatan or summoning Iuz.
In my adventure players could prevent/defeat Iuz of his twisted deception.
If Iuz is succussfully challanged he better be smart enough to crawl back to his road of skulls and lick his wounds before the real Ritual is compealted. Iuz's power will be decreased, but the barbarain rage which starts the Greyhawk wars will continue. Iuz just won't be as powerful within the Bandit Kingdom.
If Iuz is still around when He appears, Iuz will end up within his soul gem in the abyss. Thus deleying the War for a peroid of time.
If Iuz is successful then the sweeter the lie for Iuz.
Because now followers of Vatun and other barbarians think that the God Telchur is the reason for his continued binding. This lie is the source of great power for Iuz.
The seperation of the swords happens regardless if Iuz is defeated or not.
This is the end result of the the swords being so close together. The attraction the swords have for one another equals the repulsion they expericence when brought together.
An agent of Iuz is lucky enough still to have Greenswathe in the end however. Giving Iuz the fuel for vengence agaist the Barbarians hordes or a fever to mislead them again into a trap.
Harmonizer lays in wait
The edge teleports back into the hands of the Prince of Swords.
Stalker return home under the Sea of dust.
Dreamsinger now hold visons of war and destruction agaist Iuz in the hands of a tiger nomad shaman/warrior chieften. As it continues to seek out its brother swords. What becomes of my fate once I reclaim my muse is yet to be seen.
Karasten Meldraith states of the five swords " They are very, very ancient, the five Blades of Corusk. Barbarian Magic,Barbarian weapons,great heroes of your people in the past. These things are all part of the history."
Therfore the Blades are much older than Iuz.
Ancient Suloise history predating Iuz's birth indicate to me that the 5 Blades are not a trick created by that foul creature of old filth.
What further secrets are within the five Blades of Corusk
Do I Dare share?
As you know they are resistant to magical scrying.
Istus be kind.
Hear it goes.
Not only are these blades ancient magical blades, but
each weapon has its own intelligence and egos.
Forming their own sword personality corrasponding to their Alignment.
They also can strech their alignment"one place different" either way,to bend towards a weilders Alignment.
The Edge for example will allow any chaotic or true neutral creature to use it.
Very uniqe for an intelligent sword IMO.
Each sword also has a special purpose and power.
Some of which have never been fully explored.
Lastly, the combined transcendent properties that the swords contain may be connected to the spindles of fate themselves.
All this make me think that the swords are not neccessarly assoccated with Vatun only. Harmonizer may be connected but when the swords scatter one returns to a forgotten goddess's shrine, two become holy weapons for other causes, and the last returns to hands of a demi-god.
I only know that once a person wields one of the Blades of Corusk they are never the same.
In my friend's campaign Black Jay (from Hommlet) became a player character and somehow came across the Edge in his travels...
Hmm - can't remember how the 3e version went, I think the sword grants the wielder Improved Sunder as a bonus feat because it was extremely sharp and tough, although from the stats below, it doesn't appear that it was a sword of sharpness in 1e, so no keen edge.
Black Jay: A terse, bad-tempered veteran of the Battle of Emridy Meadows. Husband to Veluna's ambassador to Celene, Brace is well thought of by the elves. Male Human Ftr6/GhW3; HD 9d10; hp 65; Init +1; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 18 (+7 armor, +1 dex), touch 11, flat-footed 17; Base Atk/Grapple +9/+14; Full Atk +17/+12 Bastard Sword One-handed (Edge)(1d10+8;19-20/x2), +17/+12 Bastard Sword Two-handed (Edge) (1d10+10;19-20/x2), +11/+6 Masterwork composite longbow (+3 Str) (1d8+3;20/x3); AL CG; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +10; Str 20(+5), Dex 13(+1), Con 10(+0), Int 14(+2), Wis 13(+1), Cha 11(+0); Skills: Bluff¹ +5, Climb¹ +8, Gather Information¹ +5, Handle Animal +5, Intimidate¹ +9, Jump¹ +8, Listen¹ +4, Move Silently¹ +12, Ride¹ +6, Spot¹ +4, Survival¹ +4, Swim¹ +6. Feats: Blind-Fight, Endurance, Diehard, Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Bastard Sword(exotic)), Iron Will, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Sunder, Toughness
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